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Pulsatile insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells is necessary for tight glucose control in the body. Glycolytic oscillations have been proposed as the mechanism for generating the electrical oscillations underlying pulsatile insulin secretion. The glycolytic enzyme 6-phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK) synthesizes fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) from fructose-6-phosphate. It has been proposed that the slow electrical and Ca(2+) oscillations (periods of 3–5 min) observed in islets result from allosteric feedback activation of PFKM by FBP. Pancreatic beta cells express three PFK isozymes: PFKL, PFKM, and PFKP. A prior study of mice that were engineered to lack PFKM using a gene-trap strategy to delete Pfkm produced a mosaic reduction in global Pfkm expression, but the islets isolated from the mice still exhibited slow Ca(2+) oscillations. However, these islets still expressed residual PFKM protein. Thus, to more fully test the hypothesis that beta cell PFKM is responsible for slow islet oscillations, we made a beta-cell-specific knockout mouse that completely lacked PFKM. While PFKM deletion resulted in subtle metabolic changes in vivo, islets that were isolated from these mice continued to exhibit slow oscillations in electrical activity, beta cell Ca(2+) concentrations, and glycolysis, as measured using PKAR, an FBP reporter/biosensor. Furthermore, simulations obtained with a mathematical model of beta cell activity shows that slow oscillations can persist despite PFKM loss provided that one of the other PFK isoforms, such as PFKP, is present, even if its level of expression is unchanged. Thus, while we believe that PFKM may be the main regulator of slow oscillations in wild-type islets, PFKP can provide functional redundancy. Our model also suggests that PFKM likely dominates, in vivo, because it outcompetes PFKP with its higher FBP affinity and lower ATP affinity. We thus propose that isoform redundancy may rescue key physiological processes of the beta cell in the absence of certain critical genes.

We present a case report of a right atrial myxoma first diagnosed on a transthoracic echocardiogram after telephone consultations held in lieu of face-to-face consultations during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The echocardiogram was requested on the second telephone consultation 3 months after an initial presentation with a dry cough and fatigue due to new symptoms of palpitations and shortness of breath raising suspicion of heart failure. Virtual consultations continue to replace face-to-face consultations to avoid unnecessary exposure to COVID and reduce health care costs. This case report focuses on the importance of obtaining a systematic history, identifying red flags, referring to appropriate specialties and requesting the right investigations for early diagnosis and management of conditions with serious complications.

Recognizing the great potential of civil society organizations (CSOs) as drivers of social change, this study examines how CSOs’ work directed towards consumers—in this case, to make food consumption sustainable—could be analyzed and improved through insights in practice theory. This research scope adds to the sustainable consumption literature by shifting the lens from the rich body of scholarship examining the practices of households or organizations themselves to how CSOs can influence household practices. Interviews with five different Swedish CSOs serve as the study's main empirical basis. To analyze CSO activities that target households, we use practice theorist Alan Warde's well-established categorization of four integrative social practices of eating: (1) the supplying of food, (2) cooking, (3) the organization of meal occasions, and (4) aesthetic judgments of taste. Unlike some perspectives in sustainable consumption research that focus on consumer attitudes and behavioral change, a practice theory perspective encourages a view of consumption patterns as arising from complex and necessarily social configurations of human action formed in relation to evolving infrastructures and institutions in a cultural and historical context. In agreement with this, we suggest that the CSOs would generally benefit from focusing on particular practices, practice elements, and communities of practice. The different preconditions under which CSOs operate—such as material resource constraints and symbolic power resources—should further inform their chosen types of activities. However, we also conclude that the scale of the necessary societal changes ultimately requires increased integration and coordination of practical and political activities, not just among CSOs but throughout all spheres of society. Finally, we briefly outline avenues for further research. QC 20210113 Mistra Sustainable Consumption

Drive cycle pattern is different for different countries which depends on their traffic density, road condition and driver discipline. Drive cycle influences HEV`s components design, sizing and their ratings. Standard drive cycle data doesn't reveal much information to determine efficient and economic design of HEV`s components. In this research paper measurement and analysis of real time Indian road drive cycles (IRDC) are carried out for urban roads, state highway, national highway and express Highway where vehicles have their most run. Real time drive cycle data will expose impact of driver’s skills, traffic, road conditions and short acceleration / deceleration period, which can be represented on drive cycle chart. Analysis of IRDC in terms of rate of acceleration and deceleration, top speed, average speed with road length and analysed mathematically to find energy and power required for acceleration, normal operation and energy harvested during deceleration. Based on information from IRDC HEV`s components initial size are estimated. Initial estimated size is optimized to make HEV`s components design more efficient and economic. Teaching and learning based optimization algorithm (TLBO) and Multi objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) are used to optimize HEV`s components. Constraint of optimization algorithm are like engine and motor rating should be selected such that it has effective top speed with enough acceleration capability and can run enough distance to reach destination according to Indian urban, state, national and express highway pattern where cities are very closed compared with other countries and its regeneration component design should able to harvest maximum deceleration energy. For economic operation of HEV’s, running cost in terms of Rs. / Km. should be minimum.

background Night blood pressure (BP) predicts patient outcomes. Variables associated with night BP response to antihypertensive agents have not been fully evaluated in essential hypertension. methods We sought to measure night BP responses to hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), atenolol (ATEN), and combined therapy using ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring in 204 black and 281 white essential hypertensive patients. Initial therapy was randomized; HCTZ and ATEN once daily doses were doubled after 3 weeks and continued for 6 more weeks with the alternate medication added for combined therapy arms. ABP was measured at baseline and after completion of each drug. Night, day, and night/day BP ratio responses (treatment − baseline) were compared in race/sex subgroups. results Baseline night systolic BP and diastolic BP, and night/day ratios were greater in blacks than whites (P < 0.01, all comparisons). Night BP responses to ATEN were absent and night/day ratios increased significantly in blacks (P < 0.05). At the end of combined therapy, women, blacks, and those starting with HCTZ as opposed to ATEN had significantly greater night BP responses (P < 0.01). Variables that significantly associated with ATEN response differed from those that associated with HCTZ response and those that associated with night BP response differed from those that associated with day BP response. conclusions In summary, after completion of HCTZ and ATEN therapy, women, blacks, and those who started with HCTZ had greater night BP responses. Reduced night BP response and increased night/day BP ratios occured with ATEN in blacks. Given the prognostic significance of night BP, strategies for optimizing night BP antihypertensive therapy should be considered.

Humanity’s detrimental impacts on the Earth’s ecosystems have been studied extensively, and these impacts’ negative consequences across societal groups, nations, and generations, have garnered much attention, from the scientific community as well as from civil society, where the attention often has been directed at how unfair the distribution of these environmental burdens is. The fairness of the distribution of global environmental benefits, however, has seen much less study, especially when it comes to the implementation of such concerns for fairness in environmental policy. In support of the research project Beyond GDP-growth, this thesis has centered on a Swedish context, and has focused on the term “biocapacity”, which is a quantifiable measure of many environmental benefits, and in the thesis is defined as the ability of terrestrial ecosystems to regenerate the biological materials extracted by humans. The thesis has then aimed to determine the current potential for the implementation of a fair distribution of global biocapacity in Swedish environmental policy, mainly by way of a series of interviews with individuals engaged in different forms of Swedish environmental work – from different levels of government, to civil society and centers of scientific research. It is concluded that the current potential for the implementation of a fair distribution of global biocapacity in Swedish environmental policy is primarily hindered by the seeming lack of a relevant discourse on the matter. Without such a discourse, a lack of public understanding of the subject is deemed to cause poor public support for any potential policies promoting a fair distribution of global biocapacity. It is suggested that a relevant and effective discourse is best achieved through transparent trade practices, and by the active participation of scientific experts and other actors outside of the political system. Furthermore, the thesis discusses the usefulness of the term “biocapacity” in this context, concluding that more research is needed, while identifying the main point of contention as what the term is intuitively understood to mean, as well as whether or not it can be used as a means to achieve a focused public discourse on the fair distribution of environmental goods. Mänsklighetens skadliga inverkan på jordens ekosystem har studerats i stor utsträckning, och den här inverkans negativa konsekvenser för olika samhällsgrupper, länder och generationer har fått mycket uppmärksamhet från både forskningsvärlden och civilsamhället, där det främst har fokuserats på den orättvisa fördelningen av dessa ”miljöbördor”. Men, rättvisa när det kommer till fördelningen av ”miljönyttor” har studerats betydligt mindre, särskilt i samband med hur sådana rättviseaspekter kan implementeras i miljöpolicy. Den här uppsatsen har – i en svensk kontext och som stöd till forskningsprojektet Bortom BNP-tillväxt – fokuserat på en kvantifierbar term kallad ”biokapacitet”, som innefattar många miljönyttor, och i uppsatsen definieras som landbaserade ekosystems kapacitet att regenerera de biologiska material som människor extraherar. Uppsatsen har sedan ämnat att undersöka de nuvarande förutsättningarna för implementeringen av en rättvis fördelning av global biokapacitet i svensk miljöpolicy, främst genom en serie intervjuer med individer som i olika sammanhang är engagerade i svenskt miljöarbete – från kommunal till statlig nivå, samt i civilsamhället och i forskningssammanhang. Uppsatsen utmynnar i slutsatsen att de nuvarande förutsättningarna för implementeringen av en rättvis fördelning av global biokapacitet i svensk miljöpolicy främst begränsas av att den offentliga debatten till synes inte behandlar ämnet nämnvärt. Utan en offentlig debatt om ämnet förmodas den resulterande kunskapsbristen hos allmänheten leda till ett bristande offentligt stöd för policyförslag som förespråkar en rättvis fördelning av global biokapacitet. En relevant och effektiv offentlig debatt tros bäst kunna uppstå genom transparent handel och ett aktivt deltagande av experter från forskningsvärlden, samt andra utompolitiska aktörer. Dessutom diskuterar uppsatsen nyttan av begreppet ”biokapacitet” i en sådan debatt, och kommer fram till att vidare studier krävs för att nå en tillfredsställande slutsats. Uppsatsen identifierar dock den intuitiva uppfattningen av termens betydelse, samt frågan om termen kan användas för att uppnå en fokuserad debatt på ämnet, som de främsta problemområdena som behöver behandlas. Beyond GDP-growth (sv. Bortom BNP-tillväxt)

We assessed adverse metabolic effects of atenolol and hydrochlorothiazide among hypertensive patients with and without abdominal obesity using data from a randomized, open-label study of hypertensive patients without evidence of cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus. Intervention included randomization to 25 mg of hydrochlorothiazide or 100 mg of atenolol monotherapy followed by their combination. Fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and uric acid levels were measured at baseline and after monotherapy and combination therapy. Outcomes included new occurrence of and predictors for new cases of glucose ≥100 mg/dL (impaired fasting glucose), triglyceride ≥150 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein ≤40 mg/dL for men or ≤50 mg/dL for women, or new-onset diabetes mellitus according to the presence or absence of abdominal obesity. Abdominal obesity was present in 167 (58%) of 395 patients. Regardless of strategy, in those with abdominal obesity, 20% had impaired fasting glucose at baseline compared with 40% at the end of study ( P P

Nickel deposit is valued for its barrier properties and is used to separate other deposition layers (i.e.Cu/Sn and Sn Alloys; Cu/Pd; Cu/Au) which would otherwise form intermetallics. It is widely employed in the semiconductor industry for different packaging schemes, e.g. under bump metallization, base layer under noble material for TSV wafer-level packaging. [1]. Semiconductor device must be able to survive extreme temperature swings during multiple cycles of operation. This favors the use of a nickel sulfamate formulation, known for its low deposit stress. The inherently low current efficiency of Ni electrodeposition leads to pitting due to hydrogen bubbles. Tools with horizontal wafer orientation can usually spin off bubbles by fast wafer rotation. Tools with vertical wafer orientation typically require the use of organic surfactants to reduce surface tension and promote the release of bubbles from the surface. Surfactant is removed from the process by drag-out and foaming which requires tight control. Not enough surfactant increases the potential for pitting, while too much can cause inclusion of organics into the deposit which can result in defects and reliability failures by a burn out during heat cycling [2]. One process control option is to measure surface tension. However, this property by itself is not highly selective. The same concentration of surfactant can cause different surface tensions depending on the concentrations of other components. Authors has developed a highly selective and accurate potentiometric titration method to address this process demand. Details of the method will be elaborated in the presentation. Type I Brighteners are typically used for nickel electro-deposition to fine-tune the stress level by incorporating sulfur-bearing compounds into the deposit. The process window for these chemicals is narrower than for surfactants with the potential for out-of- spec related to stress level, deposit purity, and reliability under heat cycling. Traditional metrology for brighteners employs long and hazardous methods such as polarography and HPLC.. A non-reagent, real-time, spectral analytical method was developed by ECI for this application. Sulfamate ion is known to decompose at the anode producing azodisulfonate which itself behaves as a “Type I Brightener” [3]. However, the generation of this compound depends on the type of anodes and whether a membrane is used to separate anode and cathode compartments. Figure 1 shows spectra of the same process solution after operation in different process tools. Acceptable deposition was obtained only in the process tool where azodisulfonate products were detected in the solution. It can be argued that use of these products as an additive is better than lengthy burn-ins to generate these products. The truly unique challenge of nickel deposition for semiconductor packaging is related to the presence of a lithographic photoresist mask on the surface. Ideal positive type photoresist should be fully resistant to solutions in unexposed form but quickly dissolves in developer following UV exposure. In reality, unexposed photoresist is slowly attacked by the hot nickel solution. The presence of photoresist has detrimental effects on the performance of Ni baths. The concentration of leached photoresist is a main limiting factor for electrolyte lifetime. Thus, its metrology becomes crucial to bath dump and/or bleed and feed adjustment. A non-reagent spectroscopy method has been developed by ECI to monitor the accumulation of photoresist (Figure 2). The presentation will show some examples of this method. In conclusion, a comprehensive array of metrology techniques was developed to monitor surfactant, stress controlling compound, and leached photoresist in the nickel electrodeposition processes used in the semiconductor industry. References: M.Paunovic, P.J.Bailey, R.G. Schad, D.A. Smith J.Electrochem.Soc, 141 (7), 1843 (1994). L.M.Wang. J.Electrochem.Soc, 156 (6), D204 (2009) O.J. Klingenmaier, Plating, 52, 1138 (1965)

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